Commenting on the European Commission’s ‘Annual Growth Survey’ – which kicks off the annual economic policy-making ‘Semester’ – Katja Lehto Komuleinen, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said   “I hope today’s announcement is the beginning of better EU economic policy, the start of EU economic policy that is about fairness and living conditions and not just fiscal rules.”  

Commenting on the European Commission’s Action Plan to tackle the gender pay gap, published today, Montserrat Mir, Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said “We have been waiting far too long for renewed legislative action against the gender pay gap across the EU. The ETUC welcomes any promise to look at possible changes to the Gender Equality Directive, but looking has to be followed by doing. We need legally-binding obligations on pay transparency and sanctions against those that fail to deliver.”  

Despite the irresponsible attitude of the US government, the UN COP 23 climate conference, which is ending today in Bonn, has confirmed that climate change is a major priority for countries, cities – which are playing a leading role in implementing climate action – civil society, business organisations and trade unions, says the ETUC.

Gothenburg, 17 November 2017 Esteemed authorities, social partners, civil society representatives, On behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation, I would really like to thank Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and President Jean-Claude Juncker for having organised this summit, which is extremely valuable in bringing together all EU leaders to discuss putting the social dimension back on track in the European Union.

“Signing the European Pillar of Social Rights must be the starting gun of a race to implement it,” said Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). “The Social Pillar is useful only if it is the beginning of better things to come.”   

Esteemed Presidents and Prime Ministers,   I would really like to thank Stefan Löfven for his kind offer to organise this extraordinary tripartite meeting, the day before the Social Summit. This is a great opportunity for social partners to play a role in support of the European Pillar of Social Rights and for its implementation, following tomorrow’s proclamation.

Trade Unions at EU Social Summit 16-17 November   European trade unions will be at the EU Social Summit in Gothenburg, with a European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) event and trade union delegations taking part in an Extraordinary Tripartite Social Summit and the Social Summit. Below are details of ETUC events open to journalists, and the participation and availability of trade unionists in Summit events.   16 November 2017   12.00-14.00 ETUC public event - Building a better Europe for working people

  The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and industriAll Europe call on MEPs to vote tomorrow – Tuesday 14 November – in favour of the agreement by the European Commission, Parliament and Council on anti-dumping.    The trade unions welcome the new method for assessing whether dumping caused by state subsidies is taking place. Indeed, the new method  · does not grant market economy status to China, and

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) today warned that yesterday’s European Court of Justice judgement on the Working Time Directive does NOT give employers a green light to make workers work for 12 days before they get a day of rest.

The ‘Paradise Papers’ show the multiple legal ways for companies and rich individuals to avoid tax, and highlight the need for determined action for tax justice, says the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).   “While millions of Europeans struggle to make a living on low-paid, part-time and temporary jobs, large companies and rich individuals are using the many loopholes available to them to avoid paying their fair share of tax,” said Katja Lehto-Komulainen, Deputy General Secretary of the ETUC.  

Minimum wages are so far below the official low-wage threshold in many EU countries that many workers would struggle to make a living, shows an ETUC briefing paper published today.   Minimum wages would have to increase by 62% in Spain, 28% in Germany and 22% in the UK just to reach a level below the low-wage threshold (set by the OECD at two-thirds of the national median wage). In 10 EU countries, the minimum wage is at or below 50% of the national median wage - clearly making it difficult for those on the minimum wage to make a living from the money they earn.

The ETUC is calling for the 1991 Written Statement Directive, which obliges employers to give employees written details on the employment relationship, to be thoroughly reformed and modernised. It is the first chance for the EU to demonstrate that the European Pillar of Social Rights can be translated into real rights in the workplace. At the moment, the Directive simply requires employers to provide information on the terms and conditions of employment. The ETUC is calling for the Directive to include fair terms and conditions of employment enforceable for the workers.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the three Belgian unions, with the support of German union DGB and Austrian union ÖGB, kicked off 10 days of lobbying and social media activity to get the proposed 'European Pillar of Social Rights' adopted at the EU summit in Gothenburg on November 17 by projecting a stark message to the European Union last night. "Time is running out for the EU to deliver for working people" was the message projected onto the ‘Berlaymont’ HQ of the European Commission in Brussels.

Dear Readers, We have just published the October 2017 edition of the ETUC Newsletter. To read the document, please click here. Enjoy!

People who work for online platforms (like Uber, Deliveroo, Foodora and Amazon Mechanical Turk) deserve better than:   The recent EU Summit’s conclusions on ‘Digital Europe’ that highlight the “immense opportunities” for “growth and jobs” without even mentioning the precarious, low-paid employment without rights on offer on online platforms; The European Commission not responding to European Parliament demands to regulate labour and social rights in a digital Europe; says the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).  

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) welcomes the European Commission’s initiative to put industry back on the agenda. Its renewed Industrial Policy Strategy is a first concrete answer to the European social partners’ 2016 joint declaration calling for an updated industrial policy. 
 
   
 

Commenting on the European Commission Work Programme 2018, Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, said “We broadly welcome the work programme, especially the much-needed social fairness package. Whether this package will actually go far enough to improve social fairness for the majority of working people remains to be seen in the proposals when they are published.”

Agreement late last night by Employment Ministers on the revision of the posting of workers Directive finally triggers negotiations with the European Parliament to finalise the much-needed revision of the Directive. However, given the disappointing agreement by Employment Ministers, fair rights for posted workers now depends on the negotiating skills and determination of the European Parliament. The agreement reached by Ministers

Responding to the EU Employment and Social Policy ministers’ unanimous agreement on the text of the Proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, which gives the authorisation to Member States to sign it at the Gothenburg Summit on November 17, Esther Lynch, Confederal Secretary at the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), said: “Labour Ministers have done the right thing today and put aside differences to agree the European Pillar of Social Rights.

It’s a big week in the EU for social rights, and conditions for working people. Tomorrow (Monday 23 October) the Employment Council is expected to decide on - The revision of the Posted Workers Directive - The European Pillar of Social Rights On Thursday (27 October) the European Parliament votes on the revision of the Posted Workers Directive.

Tripartite Social Summit – Estonian Presidency Brussels, 18th October 2017 Speech given by Luca Visentini, ETUC General Secretary [Check against delivery] Esteemed Presidents, Vice President, Commissioner, Ministers, Dear colleagues from social partners, This Tripartite Social Summit comes in the middle of discussions about the future of Europe and few days before the expected proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

At today’s Tri-Partite Social Summit - with Presidents Juncker and Tusk, Prime Minister Ratas of Estonia, and the Labour Ministers of Estonia, Bulgaria and Austria - Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation called for fast proclamation of an ambitious European Pillar of Social Rights and proposed a series of initiatives including:    

In light of new evidence, trade unions and labour organizations are today renewing their calls to the European Commission to make good on its promise to launch a trade investigation into Bangladesh as a result of its government’s continued failure to make urgently needed reforms to the law and practice governing trade union rights in the country’s Ready Made Garment industry.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) urges the Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament to adopt today the compromise package proposed by the co-rapporteurs. If adopted today and confirmed by the plenary next week, this package will become the official mandate for the European Parliament to negotiate with Council during “trilogue” discussions. The ETUC has long been calling on MEPs for a revision to ensure posted workers receive equal pay or the same work in the same place as a local worker.